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Tag Archives: Johann Strauss

The brilliant conductor Carlos Kleiber would have been 88 years old today. One never needs an excuse to watch or listen to this great musician, but here’s one anyway. He leads the Bavarian State Orchestra in the “Thunder and Lightning” Polka by Johann Strauss, Jr.

The 2018 New Year’s concert from Vienna (with the Vienna Philharmonic), on January 1, will be conducted by Riccardo Muti for the fifth time. KOCE will broadcast the event at 9 p.m. on Jan. 1. This is always one of the most enjoyable classical music broadcasts of the year (in our opinion) and is best accompanied with a good bottle of champagne.

They will also, of course, play the two traditional encores, which are the “Blue Danube” Waltz and the “Radetzky” March. The U.S. broadcast has in the past trimmed some items from the program, but these days the complete concert will be viewable on YouTube.

Pacific Symphony opens its Pops season tonight and tomorrow with a program headlined by David Foster. But conductor Albert-George Schram and the orchestra begin the program with the Overture to “Die Fledermaus” by Johann Strauss, Jr., which for my money is one of the best things he ever wrote. Here, the piece is hit out of the ball park by the great Carlos Kleiber (watch him) and the Bavarian State Orchestra. You’re welcome.

An old standby. If this isn’t my favorite classical video, I can’t think which one is. The great Carlos Kleiber conducts the “Thunder and Lightning” Polka by Johann Strauss, Jr. This is stupendous conducting but most everything has already been accomplished in rehearsal. Now he’s just reminding them and enjoying himself, having a party in fact.